I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to downrigger-type fishing apparatus, and more specifically to the particular design of a carrier weight to be used therewith which allows the fisherman to control the depth at which the fishing line and lure will be deployed when trolling.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
When fishing for certain species of fish in relatively deep water, so-called downrigger fishing has gained in popularity. Fish such as walleye pike, northern pike, lake trout, salmon are generally caught when trolling at considerable depths. Here, a fishing line is deployed from a boat as the boat is made to move slowly across the surface of the water. The motion of the boat through the water tends to make the fishing line and lure rise toward the surface unless heavy sinkers are placed on the line. The presence of heavy sinkers, however, has been found to disturb the appearance of the bait and to discourage fish from biting.
In downrigger fishing, a relatively stout line or thin cable having a heavy ball on one end thereof is deployed with the ball falling to a desired trolling depth. The weight of the ball tends to maintain the cable in a substantially vertical orientation when traversing through the water at trolling speeds. A suitable fishing line carrier in the form of a weight having a spring clamp-type line release secured thereto is slipped onto the downrigger cable while the fishing line coming from the fisherman's rod and reel is fitted into the line release clamp. The weight then carries the fishing line to the appropriate fishing depth. Once the fish takes the bait, the force of the strike pulls the fishing line free from the release clamp and the carrier weight then falls to rest on top of the ball weight on the bottom of the downrigger cable. The fisherman is then free to play and land the fish in a conventional fashion.
In the downrigger arrangement shown in the Tozer U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,047, it is intended that the carrier weight 25 move down the downrigger line 23 until it stops up against the trolling weight 24 itself. In fact, the carrier 25 is designed to loosely fit about the suspension cable and is provided with a vein 33 or 43 which interacts with the water as the boat moves to actually exert a downward force on the line carrier 25 bringing it to rest against the downrigger trolling weight 24. This design unnecessary limits the options available to the fisherman as far as the depth at which fishing is to take place and it also positions the lure at a location close to an unnatural object, i.e., the rather large trolling ball.